Cable-railway switch



(No Model.) I

K. RASMUSSEN.

CABLE RAILWAY SWITCH.

No.470,806. Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

0 3 g M j: $3.

Lg Q9 4ZMM- w W I ATTORNEY;

m5 new: PETERS no, mom-mum, WASNINGTON, 04 c UNITED STATES ATENT KNUD RASMUSSEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CAB LE-RA! LWAY SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,306, dated March 8, 1892.

Application filed February 10, 1890. Serial No. 339,958. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, KNUD RAsMUssEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Gable-Railway Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cable-railway switches of the class designed for use on street-railway tracks or wherever it is necessary to pave up to the switch, thereby necessitating the use of what may betermed the box-switch. This class of switch as heretofore constructed has consisted of a tongue tapering from a pivoted base to the opposite extremity, which is necessarily quite thin,

owing to the limited width of the box or pan,

within which the tongue has a lateral sliding or swinging movement upon its pivoted base, being capable of adjustment to guide the wheels of the car upon the main track or upon' the side track, as may be desired. In this case the box within which the tongue has its lateral movement is formed by the outer or branch rail on one side and a suitable similar stop on the opposite side. The necessarilyfragile construction of the pointed extremity of the tongue is well understood, asis also the necessity of frequently replacing the tongue by reason of its being quickly worn out or so badly worn as to be useless for the purpose intended.

The object of my improvement therefore is to remedy this and other defects of the old style of tongue for railway box-switches; and to these ends my invention consists of the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings my invention is shown in connection with a track suitable for the ordinary street cable cars, requiring a central slotted rail for the grip, suitable and n rel mechanism also being shown for operating the switch mechanism, being specially adapted for use on a cable track.

In the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of the invention, in which drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a main cable track and a side or branch track leading therefrom in connection with my improvement in operative position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line x as, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a section taken on the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 2.2,Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line w 20, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the tongue and the corresponding section of rail with which it is connected in use. Fig. 7 is an end view of the right-hand extremity of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

In the views, let the reference-numerals 1 1 indicate the two rails of a main line of track to the right of the switch,from which branch the rails 2 2 of the side track connected therewith, the two tracks being connected by my improvement.

Let the numeral 3 indicate the central slotted'rail of the main line, through which the grip passes, and 4: the corresponding rail of the branch line.

The switch-tongue 5 and a corresponding section 6 of the adjacent rail of the branch track are secured to or are formed integral with a bed-plate 7. This tongue, with its attachments, is pivoted at 8, or at the base of q the tongue, andhas a suitable movement back and forth within a box 9. It may be observed that by this construction, which enables me to move the section 6 of the rail with the tongue, I am enabled to form the smaller end of the tongue of a width equal to that of the contiguous rail, the interior opposite edges of the tongue and sections 6 of the branch rail being parallel, and therefore forming a perfeet curve, which is impossible in the old style of switch.

Another peculiarity of the construction of this switch is that the tongue 5 is of the same height throughout its length as the sections of the rail which it connects, thus causing the car-wheels to move smoothly over the switch on the main track. As heretofore constructed the tonguehas been raised somewhat between its extremities in order to give a sufficient inner guard to the wheels of the car running on the branch track. In place of making this tongue higher' I out down the section 6 gradually opposite the narrow extremity of the tongue, as shown at 30, Fig. 6, so that section 6 of the rail is considerably lower than the tongue, which therefore forms a snflicient interior guard for the car-wheels while turning upon the branch track. The difference in height between section 6 of the rail and the tongue of the switch is distinctly shown in Figs. 2 and 12 12 are the curved barshaving theirouter extremities suitably secured to the track at 11 11 and their inner extremities made fast to opposite sides of the slotted rail 3. Bars 12 are virtually a single bar describing the are of a circle, said bar having its continuity broken by the central slotted rail. Bars 12 form a support for the U-shaped yoke 13, the parts of said yoke being connected at the top by cross-bars l-t, one being located on each side of the slotted rail.

To each cross-bar 11 is secured one extremity of a bar 15, the inner extremity of these bars terminating 011 opposite sides of the slot 16, through which the grip passes. Each of these extremities is secured to a spring or flexible piece 17 at or near one end of the spring, the opposite ends of these springs being securely bolted to the central rail on opposite sides of the slot, as shown at 18 18, the springs 17 be ing of sutficient length to give the required resilience.

19 is a lever rigidly secured at 20 to the upper extremity of a pin 21, which pin is supported upon and pivoted within a plate 35, provided with a collar 36, through which the pin passes, its lower extremity being made fast to a bar 22, to each end of which bar is pivoted at 23 the outer extremity of a bar 21 or 25. The opposite extremity of bar 24 is pivoted to the end of a pin 26, the upper extremity of pin 26 beingmade fast to the tongue 5. The inner extremity of the bar 25 is secured to one of the U-shaped parts 13 of the yoke.

The operation of the mechanism heretofore described will be readily understood. As the outer extremity of lever 19 is moved toward the track the tongue 5 and its attachments are moved in the opposite direction Within box 9 and to a position allowing the ear or train to pass straight through on the main track. The bar 25 is at the same time moved in a direction corresponding with the movement of the outer extremity of lever 19 and moves the U-shaped yoke in the same direction, the cross-bars 14 sliding upon the curved bars 12, and bars 15 adjusting the springs 17 so as to guide the grip in a direction correspending with that given the wheels upon the track. By reversing the action of this lever 19 the movements just described are reversed.

It will be seen that it will be necessary that the pieces 17 be springy and flexible, in order that their ends maybe caused to register with either the main or branch tracks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with the double- U- shaped yoke 13, having its extremities on each side of the slotted rail, bars 12, secured to the track and supporting the yoke, springs 17, secured within the slotted rail, and bars 15, secured to the top of the yoke at one extremity and to the springs 17 at the opposite extremity, of tongue 5 and section 6, being secured together, substantially as set forth, and suitable means connected with tongue 5 and yoke 13 for correspondingly adjusting springs 17 and the switch mechanism, substantially as described. l

2. The combination, with the yoke 13, of the curved bars 12, secured to the track, one on each side of the slotted rail, and'adapted to support the yoke which slides therein when operated by suitable mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the track and the slotted rails, of a switch-tongue having the contiguous section of the track-rail affixed thereto, springs mounted within the slotted rails, and means whereby the said switchtongue and springs may be simultaneously moved toward or away from each other, as described.

4. The combination, with the track and slotted rails, of a switch-tongue having the contiguous section of the track-rail secured thereto, springs mounted within the slotted rails, and a pivoted bar 22, having its opposite ends connected with the said switch-tongue and springs, respectively, as described.

5. The combination, with the track and slotted rails, of a switch-tongue having the contiguous section of the track-rail secured thereto, springs mounted within the slotted rails, a yoke having its opposite ends upon the opposite sides of the slotted rail and connected with the said springs, and a pivoted bar 22, having its opposite ends secured to the said switch-tongue and yoke, respectively, as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' KNUD RASMUSSEN.

Vitnesses:

ISI-IAM R. IIOWZE, WM. MCCONNELL. 

